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Elevate Black Voices: All-New Trading Card Game!

We’re kicking off a month of collaboration and hands-on history learning with the American History: Elevating Black Voices collection! Each week, learners explore how Black American innovators past and present used essential skills to make lasting contributions to our shared history. Then, youth create their own themed card deck as part of the all-new Innovator Trading Card game to develop and practice those same skills themselves! This week, youth will learn about Black American innovators who used storytelling and their voice to impact meaningful change. Then, youth become storytellers through activities like erasure poetry, round robin storytelling, and sound charades! It’s a fun, hands-on experience that teaches youth literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. This collection has pre-built easy-to-use journeys in three grade bands (K-2, 3-5, and 6-12), so start building your deck with the activities below!

Explore the collections

American History: Elevating Black Voices (K-2)

Leadership and Teamwork, Arts in Action, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Stories and Perspectives, We The People

13 Activities

American History: Elevating Black Voices (K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

9 Hours 10 Minutes

The American History: Elevating Black Voices Collection is a weekly, hands-on playlist that helps young learners explore how stories, creativity, problem-solving, and leadership shape communities and American history. Through engaging texts, Innovator Trading Cards, and theme-based activities in literacy, STEM, the arts, and teamwork, students discover lesser-known Black Americans whose voices and ideas have made a lasting impact. Each week introduces a new theme that strengthens early reading skills, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, while giving learners multiple opportunities to apply their understanding through play and exploration. Designed for easy facilitation and joyful learning, this playlist shows that innovation takes many forms—and that every voice matters.

For a consistent learning experience, it is recommended that this collection be completed in the sequence outlined below. This allows learners to apply the weekly themes from the Innovator Playing Cards through supplementary activities.

Week 1: Storytelling and Voice

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

New End to the Story

Round Robin Storytelling

Animal Interviews

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Balanced Mobile

Sound on a String

Mechanical Engineering Tops

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Masquerade Masks

Music and Rhythm (Grades k-2)

Creative Play Design Challenges

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Playing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

People Bingo

What is a Quality

Discover Collection

American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)

Leadership and Teamwork, Stories and Perspectives, We The People

13 Activities

American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

9 Hours 10 Minutes

This Collection is a weekly, hands-on playlist that helps learners explore how stories, creativity, problem-solving, and leadership shape communities and American history. Through engaging texts, Innovator Trading Cards, and theme-based activities in literacy, STEM, the arts, and collaboration, students discover lesser-known Black Americans whose voices and ideas have made a lasting impact. Each week introduces a new theme that strengthens reading comprehension, evidence-based thinking, creativity, and teamwork, while giving learners multiple opportunities to apply their understanding through discussion, design, and gameplay. Designed for flexible facilitation and active learning, this playlist shows that innovation happens in many ways—and that elevating diverse voices deepens our understanding of history.

For a consistent learning experience, it is recommended that this collection be completed in the sequence outlined below. This allows learners to apply the weekly themes from the Innovator Playing Cards through supplementary activities.

Week 1: Storytelling and Voice

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

Word Detectives

What is that Tone

Rhythm and Language

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars

Arm and Belt Accessories

Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

The Animal Spin

Create and Perform a Scene from a Book

Clay Pinch Pot

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

More Tools Are Better Than One

Build Your Own Obstacle Course

Discover Collection

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Leadership and Teamwork, Stories and Perspectives, We The People

13 Activities

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 12

9 Hours 10 Minutes

The American History: Elevating Black Voices Collection is a weekly, inquiry-driven playlist that invites learners to examine how storytelling, innovation, creativity, and leadership shape American history and civic life. Through complex texts, Innovator Trading Cards, and theme-based activities across literacy, STEM, the arts, and collaborative problem-solving, students engage with lesser-known Black Americans—whose contributions have influenced systems, culture, and community change. Each week introduces a thematic lens that builds historical analysis, critical reading, argumentation, and interdisciplinary thinking, culminating in a challenge-based game that requires evidence, reasoning, and collaboration. Designed to support meaningful discussion and application, this Collection highlights innovation as a collective process and underscores the power of amplifying voices that shape our shared history.

This collection is designed to have learners apply ideas from the weekly themes introduced through the Innovator Playing Cards with additional related activities; it is recommended to follow this sequence to maintain consistency:

Week 1: Storytelling and Voice

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

What Makes a Good Story?

One Minute Speeches

Erasure Poetry as Resistance

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Cell City

Catapult (Team Building) Game

Build an Extension Arm

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Create a Cardboard Self-Portrait

Improv: Say the Line

How to Look at Dance

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Playing Innovator Trading Cards

Analyzing and Constructing Timelines of Racial (In)justice

Dream Team

Discover Collection

American History: Elevating Black Voices (K-2)

Leadership and Teamwork, Arts in Action, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Stories and Perspectives, We The People

13 Activities

American History: Elevating Black Voices (K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

9 Hours 10 Minutes

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

New End to the Story

Round Robin Storytelling

Animal Interviews

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Balanced Mobile

Sound on a String

Mechanical Engineering Tops

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Masquerade Masks

Music and Rhythm (Grades k-2)

Creative Play Design Challenges

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Playing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

People Bingo

What is a Quality

Discover Collection

American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)

Leadership and Teamwork, Stories and Perspectives, We The People

13 Activities

American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

9 Hours 10 Minutes

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

Word Detectives

What is that Tone

Rhythm and Language

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars

Arm and Belt Accessories

Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

The Animal Spin

Create and Perform a Scene from a Book

Clay Pinch Pot

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

More Tools Are Better Than One

Build Your Own Obstacle Course

Discover Collection

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Leadership and Teamwork, Stories and Perspectives, We The People

13 Activities

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 12

9 Hours 10 Minutes

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

What Makes a Good Story?

One Minute Speeches

Erasure Poetry as Resistance

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Cell City

Catapult (Team Building) Game

Build an Extension Arm

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Create a Cardboard Self-Portrait

Improv: Say the Line

How to Look at Dance

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Playing Innovator Trading Cards

Analyzing and Constructing Timelines of Racial (In)justice

Dream Team

Discover Collection

Plan Less.

Play More.

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Future Ready: Learning and Earning

210 Activities

Digital Voices

422 Activities

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

217 Activities

Leadership and Teamwork

106 Activities

Whole Body, Whole Self

281 Activities

Arts in Action

549 Activities

Stories and Perspectives

220 Activities

We The People

262 Activities

The Natural World

305 Activities

Belonging and Community

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